Collégial International Sainte-Anne

Choosing a CEGEP that adequately meets the needs of young adults may seem a daunting task. The ideal institution should provide a high quality education while teaching critical life skills. It should adapt to the individual needs of its students.

The West Island’s Collégial international Sainte-Anne easily meets these criteria, while also providing a bilingual learning environment that is unique in the province of Quebec.

While some CEGEPs offer students a choice between French and English streams, Sainte-Anne is the only private CEGEP in Quebec to teach its students in both languages. Some courses are given in French, with others in English.

“Our goal is to help English students continue to perfect the French they have already learned,” said the school’s director, Martial Couillaud. “During their first year, the majority of their courses are in French and then the balance gradually shifts to English during the second year. By graduation time,we hope that students will be equally comfortable in both languages.”

Of course, while classes are given in a specific language, students are able to hand in papers and answer questions on exams in the language of their choice.

The CEGEP also understands that education knows no limits or boundaries. As a result, it is always stimulating students to engage in a global perspective when it comes to their studies. Along with preparing students for pursuing degrees at Canadian universities, Sainte-Anne also supports students through SAT preparation for applications to American universities and helps them prepare to study at international universities such as the Sorbonne in Paris.

Rather than limiting education only to what occurs within its four walls, Sainte-Anne insists that its students discover first-hand the world around them. To get their degrees, all students must complete a six-week internship related to their studies. The internship, which occurs at the end of the second year, is designed to put into practice everything they have learned. Each student, with the help of a teacher who is monitoring his or her progress, is responsible for arranging all details pertaining to the project.

“The internship is a very exciting element of each student’s degree,” Couillaud said. “Some students choose to stay in Montreal, while others have arranged internships in Morocco, Brazil, and in the United States. No matter the location, this internship is designed to foster entrepreneurial and leadership skills within each student.”

Sainte-Anne provides an intimate learning experience for all students. Rather than simply being considered a number in a sea of faces, each student is called by his or her own name. Classes have no more than 30 students and courses foster an active learning component, with teachers sitting in the middle of the classrooms, discussing practical (rather than uniquely theoretical) approaches to academic subjects. Round tables and chairs with wheels promote conversation and facilitate the sharing of information between students.

The CEGEP also has an elite sports program for athletes who are committed to pursuing an education while training and competing at a high level. “We understand the amount of dedication it requires to become an accomplished athlete, but we don’t want these students to have to sacrifice their education,” Couillaud explained. “We accommodate their needs as much as possible, through online courses, Skype sessions with teachers and special exam times.”

Sainte-Anne has an ultra-comfortable residence for up to 100 students which features spacious bedrooms, each of which can accommodate as many as four students, with a private bathroom in each room. Each floor of the residence also has a fully equipped kitchen and a living area with high-definition TV.

The CEGEP is extremely concerned about its impact upon the environment and has committed to reducing its environmental footprint as much as possible. Efforts including the exclusive use of LED lights and promoting shared transportation has earned the CEGEP ISO 14001 certification.